Snap-fit type heat sink module

ABSTRACT

A snap-fit type heat sink module includes a heat sink having at least one receiving slot, the receiving slot each including a first slot section sunken from one side surface of the heat sink and a second slot section extended from one side of the first slot section into the heat sink; and a snap-fit coupling member including a main body having a first surface and an opposite second surface, and at least one cantilever arm including a first arm section projected from the first surface for snap-fitting in the first slot section, and a second arm section extended from an end of the first arm section distant from the first surface for engaging with the second slot section. The heat sink and the coupling member can be quickly connected to each other at reduced cost by snap-fitting the cantilever arm in the receiving slot without the need of welding.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a snap-fit type heat sink module, and more particularly to a snap-fit type heat sink module having a heat sink and a coupling member snap-fitted to the heat sink.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Various kinds of electronic information products, such as computers, have been widely employed by more and more people in their daily life and can be applied in more different applications now. Due to the large demands in the market, all the electronic information products developed by the currently available electronic information techniques have largely increased computing speed and access capacity. As a result, a high amount of heat is produced by the parts and components in the electronic information products during the operation thereof.

For example, the central processing unit (CPU) in a computer produces the largest part of heat in the computer. When the heat produced by the CPU accumulates in the computer to exceed an allowable high limit, the accumulated heat would dangerously cause undesirable shutdown of the computer. Further, to solve the problem of electromagnetic wave radiation, the electronic parts and components of the computer are usually enclosed in a closed case. Therefore, it is very important to work out a way for quickly guiding out the heat produced by the CPU and other heat-producing parts and components (also generally referred to as the heat-producing elements).

To remove the heat produced by the CPU, a heat sink is generally mounted on a top of the CPU. A plurality of radiating fins are provided on one side of the heat sink opposite to the CPU, so that the heat produced by the CPU can be transferred to the radiating fins via the other fin-free side of the heat sink in contact with the CPU. Therefore, the heat transferred to the heat sink can be quickly radiated from the radiating fins into ambient air or be carried away from the heat sink by airflows produced by an additionally mounted fan.

Conventionally, to mount the heat sink to the top of the CPU, the heat sink must first be connected to a coupling member, and then, the heat sink is fixed to the CPU via the aid of the coupling member to achieve the purpose of removing the produced heat from the CPU. In most cases, the coupling member is connected to the heat sink using screws or other types of fastening elements.

Generally, a stack-fin heat sink is manufactured by sequentially welding the stacked fins to one another and to a base. The base of the heat sink and the coupling member are used to provide positions for installing spring screws or push pins. Such a design requires the fins to be welded to the base using a relative large quantity of soldering paste. Further, in the case the base and the fins are made of aluminum material, they require a nickel electroplating process, so that they can be welded together. Therefore, the stack-fin heat sink could not be used in other non-welding heat sink designs because the latter do not include a base welded to the radiating fins to provide the positions for installing spring screws or push pins to assemble the heat sink to the CPU or a graphic processing unit (GPU) via the coupling member.

In brief, the conventional heat sinks have the following disadvantages: (1) requiring relatively high manufacturing cost; (2) requiring relatively long assembling time; (3) being restricted to a specific mounting manner; and (4) tending to cause the problem of environmental protection.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A primary object of the present invention is to provide a snap-fit type heat sink module that can save time and labor needed to assemble the heat sink module.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a snap-fit type heat sink module that can be assembled without the need of welding.

To achieve the above and other objects, the snap-fit type heat sink module according to the present invention includes a heat sink and a snap-fit coupling member. The heat sink is formed with at least one receiving slot, which includes a first slot section sunken from one side surface of the heat sink and a second slot section extended from one side of the first slot section into the heat sink. The snap-fit coupling member includes a main body and at least one cantilever arm. The main body has a first surface and an opposite second surface; and the at least one cantilever arm includes a first arm section projected from the first surface for snap-fitting in the first slot section and a second arm section extended from an end of the first arm section distant from the first surface for engaging with the second slot section. The heat sink and the snap-fit coupling member can be quickly connected to each other at reduced cost by inserting the cantilever arm into the receiving slot without the need of welding.

Therefore, the present invention has the following advantages: (1) saving the time and labor needed to assemble the heat sink module; (2) enabling quick connection of the coupling member to the heat sink without the need of welding; and (3) meeting the requirement for environmental protection.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The structure and the technical means adopted by the present invention to achieve the above and other objects can be best understood by referring to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and the accompanying drawings, wherein

FIG. 1 a is an exploded sectional view of a snap-fit type heat sink module according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 1 b is an assembled view of FIG. 1 a;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the snap-fit type heat sink module according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is an exploded sectional view of a snap-fit type heat sink module according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the snap-fit type heat sink module according to the second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 shows the manner of connecting a snap-fit coupling member to a heat sink according to the second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 shows the heat sink module of FIG. 5 with the coupling member in a fully snap-fitted position;

FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of a first variation of the snap-fit type heat sink module according to the first and second embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is an assembled sectional view of a second variation of the snap-fit type heat sink module according to the first and second embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of a snap-fit type heat sink module according to a third embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 10 is an exploded sectional view of the snap-fit type heat sink module according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention will now be described with some preferred embodiments thereof. For the purpose of easy to understand, elements that are the same in the preferred embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals.

Please refer to FIGS. 1 a, 1 b and 2, in which a snap-fit type heat sink module 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention is shown. The snap-fit type heat sink module 1 in the first embodiment includes a heat sink 11 and a snap-fit coupling member 12.

The heat sink 11 is formed with at least one receiving slot 111, which includes a first slot section 1111 sunken from one side surface of the heat sink 11 and a second slot section 1112 extended from one side of the first slot section 1111 into the heat sink 11.

In the illustrated first embodiment, the heat sink 11 includes a plurality of sequentially stacked radiating fins 112, as can be seen in FIG. 2.

The snap-fit coupling member 12 includes a main body 121 and at least one cantilever arm 122. The main body 121 has a first surface 1211 and an opposite second surface 1212. The cantilever arm 122 includes a first arm section 1221 projected from the first surface 1211 for snap-fitting in the first slot section 1111, and a second arm section 1222 extended from an end of the first arm section 1221 distant from the first surface 1211 for engaging with the second slot section 1112.

In the first embodiment, the snap-fit coupling member 12 and the heat sink 11 are firmly connected to each other by snap-fitting the first arm section 1221 of the cantilever arm 122 of the coupling member 12 in the first slot section 1111 of the receiving slot 111 of the heat sink 11, so that the second arm section 1222 of the cantilever arm 122 hooks to the second slot section 1112 of the receiving slot 111.

Please refer to FIGS. 3, 4, 5 and 6, in which a snap-fit type heat sink module 1 according to a second embodiment of the present invention is shown. The heat sink module 1 in the second embodiment includes a heat sink 11 and a snap-fit coupling member 12.

The heat sink 11 is formed with at least one receiving slot 111, which includes a first slot section 1111 and a first groove 1113 sunken from one side surface of the heat sink 11 and a second slot section 1112 extended from one side of the first slot section 1111 into the heat sink 11. The first groove 1113 is adjacent to and communicable with the first and the second slot section 1111, 1112.

In the illustrated second embodiment, the heat sink 11 includes a plurality of sequentially stacked radiating fins 112, as can be seen in FIG. 4.

As can be seen in FIG. 4, the first slot section 1111 and the first groove 1113 are sunken into the heat sink 11 to be perpendicular to the side surface of the heat sink 11; and the second slot section 1112 is extended from an inner end of the first slot section 1111 at a right angle into the heat sink 11. The second slot section 1112 is communicable with the first slot section 1111 and the first groove 1113, as can be seen in FIGS. 3 and 4.

The snap-fit coupling member 12 includes a main body 121 and at least one cantilever arm 122. The main body 121 has a first surface 1211 and an opposite second surface 1212. The cantilever arm 122 includes a first arm section 1221 projected from the first surface 1211 for snap-fitting in the first slot section 1111, and a second arm section 1222 extended from an end of the first arm section 1221 distant from the first surface 1211 for engaging with the second slot section 1112.

In the second embodiment, the snap-fit coupling member 12 and the heat sink 11 are connected to each other by snap-fitting the first arm section 1221 of the cantilever arm 122 of the coupling member 12 in the first slot section 1111 of the receiving slot 111 of the heat sink 11, and sliding the coupling member 12 in the direction of the first groove 1113, so that the first arm section 1221 is moved into the first groove 1113 with the second arm section 1222 at the end of the first arm section 1221 also moving into the second slot section 1112 of the heat sink 11 at the same time. As a result, the snap-fit coupling member 12 and the heat sink 11 can be quickly connected to each other without the need of welding them together.

Please refer to FIGS. 1 a and 3. As having been mentioned above, the cantilever arm 122 of the snap-fit coupling member 12 is projected from the first surface 1211. In the first embodiment, the cantilever arm 122 is in a slant position relative to the first surface 1211, as can be seen in FIG. 1 a. However, in the second embodiment, the cantilever arm 122 is in an upright position relative to the first surface 1211, as can be seen in FIG. 3.

As having been mentioned above, the second arm section 1222 of the cantilever arm 122 is formed by extending from an end of the first arm section 1221 distant from the first surface 1211. In the first embodiment, an acute angle is contained between the first and the second arm section 1221, 1222, as can be seen in FIG. 1 a. However, in the second embodiment, a right angle is contained between the first and the second arm section 1221, 1222, as can be seen in FIG. 3.

Please refer to FIG. 7 that is an exploded perspective view of a first variation of the snap-fit type heat sink module according to the first and second embodiments of the present invention. In the first variation, the heat sink 11 includes a base 113 and a plurality of radiating fins 114 parallelly extended from one side of the base 113.

FIG. 8 is an assembled sectional view of a second variation of the snap-fit type heat sink module according to the first and second embodiments of the present invention. As shown, in the second variation, the heat sink 11 is further provided on the side surface having the at least one receiving slot 111 with at least one first fixing hole 115, and the snap-fit coupling member 12 is provided on the first surface 1211 with a second fixing hole 123 corresponding to the first fixing hole 115. A fastening element 2 can be extended through the first and the second fixing hole 115, 123 to thereby more firmly connect the coupling member 12 to the heat sink 11. Also, in the second variation, the snap-fit coupling member 12 is provided on the second surface 1212 with at least one mounting post 124, which defines an internally threaded bore 1241. Therefore, the coupling member 12 can be assembled to a substrate (not shown) by screwing a fastening element 2 into the threaded bore 1241.

FIGS. 9 and 10 show a third embodiment of the present invention. In the third embodiment, the heat sink 11 and the snap-fit coupling member 12 have structures and connection relationship similar to those in the above-described embodiments. However, in the third embodiment, the heat sink 11 has a substantially cylindrical configuration with a plurality of radially outward extended radiating fins. The heat sink 11 has a center 116, relative to which a plurality of receiving slots 111 is annularly equally spaced on one side of the heat sink 11. The snap-fit coupling member 12 is provided on the first surface 1211 with a plurality of cantilever arms 122 to correspond to the receiving slots 111 on the heat sink 11. To assemble the snap-fit coupling member 12 to the heat sink 11, simply insert the first and the second arm sections 1221, 1222 of the cantilever arms 122 into the first slot sections 1111 of the receiving slots 111, and turn the coupling member 12 to slide the first arm sections 1221 into the first slots 1113. At this point, the second arm sections 1222 are moved along with the first arm sections 1221 to set in the second slots 1112 of the heat sink 11.

The present invention has been described with some preferred embodiments thereof and it is understood that many changes and modifications in the described embodiments can be carried out without departing from the scope and the spirit of the invention that is intended to be limited only by the appended claims. 

1. A snap-fit type heat sink module, comprising: a heat sink having at least one receiving slot formed thereon, the receiving slot each including a first slot section sunken from one side surface of the heat sink and a second slot section extended from one side of the first slot section into the heat sink; and a snap-fit coupling member including a main body and at least one cantilever arm; the main body having a first surface and an opposite second surface; the cantilever arm including a first arm section projected from the first surface for snap-fitting in the first slot section, and a second arm section extended from an end of the first arm section distant from the first surface for engaging with the second slot section.
 2. The snap-fit type heat sink module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the heat sink is formed from a plurality of sequentially stacked radiating fins.
 3. The snap-fit type heat sink module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the heat sink includes a base and a plurality of radiating fins parallelly provided on one side of the base.
 4. The snap-fit type heat sink module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the snap-fit coupling member is provided on the second surface with at least one mounting post, and the mounting post defining an internally threaded bore therein.
 5. The snap-fit type heat sink module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cantilever arm projected from the first surface is in an upright position relative to the first surface.
 6. The snap-fit type heat sink module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cantilever arm projected from the first surface is in a slant position relative to the first surface.
 7. The snap-fit type heat sink module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the heat sink is provided with at least one first fixing hole, and the snap-fit coupling member is provided on the first surface with at least one second fixing hole corresponding to the first fixing hole, and the first and the second fixing hole can be connected to each other via a fastening element extended therethrough.
 8. The snap-fit type heat sink module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second arm section is extended from an end of the first arm section distant from the first surface with an acute angle contained between the first and the second arm section.
 9. The snap-fit type heat sink module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second arm section is extended from an end of the first arm section distant from the first surface with a right angle contained between the first and the second arm section. 